Wrist-watch strap



1930. a. w. DARLING 1,778,313

WR I ST WATCH STRAP Filed July 25, 1929 I IN V EN TOR; Geolye M Darby ATTORNEY GEORGE W. DARLING, OF

Patented Oct. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BALDWIN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN P. SCHULTHEISS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WRIST-WATCH STRAP Application filed July 25, 1929. Serial No. 380,814.

The invention relates to a wrist-watch strap, and more particularly to an extension attachment for the same adapted to be unfolded for the purpose of extending the opening length of the strap. Heretofore, it has been proposed to insert between strap portions two hinged leaves or metal plates; but it i of the strap. A still further object of the invention resides in means for securing and holding the member constituting the extendible portion directly to the strap while the same is in use. i

In carrying out the invention, provision is made for hingedly securing at one end of one of the strap portions a metal member of a length sufiicient to afford temporarily ample length of the strap to enable the same to be passed readily over the hand and onto the arm or wrist of the wearer, said member being then foldable backwardly upon the strap itself and attachable thereto. The said member, moreover, is provided with a buckle and tongue for receiving the free end of the other strap portion which has previously been adjusted to give the desired size of opening when said member is in locked position.

The nature of the invention, however, will best be understood when described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a wrist-watch strap provided with the extendible member.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view f of the cooperating ends of the strap showing the same in engagement. 7

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the novel strap with the extendible member opened to admit of passing the strap over the hand and wrist of a wearer.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line H, Fig. 1 of the drawings, and looking in the'direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 4; of the drawings; and Fig. 6

is a vertical section taken on the line 66, Fig.

5 of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the novel wristwatch strap embodies the usual watch-retaining metal casing or support 10 to the bails of which the strap halves or portions 11 and 12 are looped in well-known manner; or, the same may be looped directly to a watch as is well understood. The free end of strap portion 12 is, furthermore, provided with a se- 5 'ries of perforations 13 to accommodate the strap to various sizes of wrists. To this end, the said perforations or openings are adapted to engage in the usual manner with a tongue 14 of a buckle 15 so that the proper working length of said strap may readily be adjusted. This buckle, however, instead of'being directly carried by the other strap portion 11, as is the usual practice, is hinged to the corresponding end of an extendible member 16 as 7 through cars 17 rovided'thereat.

The extendib e member, furthermore, is curved to substantially the curvature of the wrist of the wearer; and at its opposite end the free end of strap portion 11 is looped thereto to form a hinged connection therewith, as by fitting the same over a rod 18 carried by ears 19 at the'corresponding end of said extendible member. The extendible member, which is of metal, is provided with a socket or perforation 20 designed to register and engage with a stud'21 secured on the outer surface of the strap portion 11 when the extendible member or plate 16 is turned backwardly theieover, as indicated more clearly in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the socket and stud affording a snap fastener connection.

-' It will be observed that'when the fastener elements are disengaged, as indicated in Fig. of the drawings, the ,eifective opening of the strap is enlarged substantially to the extent of the length of the plate 16; but by bringing the latter over into juxtaposition with strap portion 11 and securing the same 1 the said strap portion intervenes. I

thereto through the fastener elements 20 and 21, the effective length of the strap is diminished to the desired size which has previously been adjusted through engagement of the tongue 1 1 with the appropriate perforation 13. Moreover, it will be noted that the plate 16 is swung over the strap portion 11 in the normal position so that it cannot touch the wrist of the wearer, as

I have found it desirable, also, to provide the lateral or marginal edges of plate 16 with slight flanges 22 substantially of a height portion, said plate and the unperforated strap portion being provided with cooperating fastener elements for engagement with each other when the plate is swung over the corresponding to the thickness of the strap 7 so that when the strap portion'12 passes over the plate, it will be restrained from lateral dis acement by the saidflanges, the top edges of these fiangesibeing then substantially flush with the oorrespondng strap portion.

v The free end of the strap portion 12is designed, moreover, to be held in position,

as usual, by a loop 23 movable along the other strap portion 11 to hold the samethereto, as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. g It will be noted, also, that the strap portion 12 in passing over the plate member 16 substantially conceals the same, said plate being retained between q the two strap portions 11 and 12, as indicated.

If'it be desiredto-removethe strap from the wrist, this may readilv be effected by uncoupling the snap fasteners, as in pulling upwardly on the buckle, and thereby increasingthe effective length of the strap. Likewise, in securing the strap over the wrist, the piece 16 is swung over the strap portion 11-, as hereinbefore set forth, and the snap fastenersengaged by exertingpressure on the top of the plate;

Iclaimy 1. A wrist-Watch strap comprising two flexible strap portions for attachment to a watch one of said strap portions beingperforated longitudinally at its free end, a metal plate member hingedly connected to the free end of the other strap portion and hingedly carrying at its opposite end a buckle with tongue for engagement with an, appropriate perforation in theother strap" portion, said plate.- andKthe unperforated strap portion being provided with coo erating i fastener elements for engagement with each other =when the plate is swung :overthe saidunperforated strap-portion, and'the wearer being thereby protected against contact :with

' said" plate.

21-A Wrist-watch strap comprising two flexible strap portions for attachment .to a

- watch, one'of saidstrapportions being per-.

forated longitudinally at its free :end,-'a

"metal platemember hingedly connected to the freeiend of the'other strap portion and hingedlypcarrying at its opposite end a j bucklejwitlrtongue'for engagementwith an appropriate perforation in the other strap 

